Article April 14, 1923 Issue

That faith has a great influence upon healing is undoubtedly...

Van Buren Perry, Committee on Publication for the State of South Dakota,—Huron

Evening Huronite

That faith has a great influence upon healing is undoubtedly true. The Master healed only those who possessed faith; and he sometimes first tested that faith. We must remember, however, that faith must be rightly placed and rightly directed, if it is to aid in permanent healing. Blind, misdirected faith never accomplished true healing. Faith in Baal, faith in idols, faith in mortals, faith in human will, faith in drugs or other matter, has been responsible for all of the disappointments and discouragements of men. After Christ Jesus healed the lunatic, the disciples who had failed to heal him asked, "Why could not we cast him out?" Jesus answered: "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit [and here was added a vital and generally disregarded qualification] this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." As the grain of mustard seed signified a small quantity, and the removal of the mountain the accomplishment of the humanly impossible, so the fasting signified casting out material beliefs or reliance upon matter. It meant far more than the abstinence of the Pharisee from bread and meat.

It is reliance upon the so-called human mind that prevents the fulfillment of prayer. Jesus said, "Have faith in God;" and there is no Scriptural authority for faith in anything but God. Paul said that the human or carnal mind "is enmity against God." Clearly Jesus did not refer to the so-called human mind when he said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." The teachings of the Bible from beginning to end, and the demonstrations of Jesus, all show that God is the only creator and source of power; that His power is available and effective in destroying sin, disease, and death; and that all that is necessary to accomplish this is to understand and apply the unchanging laws ordained by our loving Father for the government of His universe. The need of understanding, as well as faith, was referred to by Paul, who, speaking of the futility of prayer in an "unknown tongue," said: "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also."

Christian Science is sometimes carelessly regarded as a "faith cure," but it far exceeds the ordinary meaning of that term. Consistently with the Scriptures, Christian Science involves, first, an understanding of God, of His universe, and of the spiritual laws which govern that universe; secondly, a firm faith based upon that understanding,—a faith in God, not in matter or so-called human mind; and thirdly, the constant application of these spiritual laws in casting out of ourselves all that is unlike God. The opening lines of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 1), are, "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love." Again, on page 3 we read: "Who would stand before a blackboard, and pray the principle of mathematics to solve the problem? The rule is already established, and it is our task to work out the solution. Shall we ask the divine Principle of all goodness to do His own work? His work is done, and we have only to avail ourselves of God's rule in order to receive His blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation."

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